Hanna Gabriels A Torchbearer In The Rising Tide Of Female Boxing – In Costa Rica, a country of 4.6 million, reigning WBO World female super welterweight champion Hanna Gabriels is a well-known personality. Strangers stop her on the street and ask for a selfie. In the United States, where she is currently residing, she’s anonymous. But that may change. Female boxing, which has enjoyed a few brief spurts of enrichment, appears poised to emerge from the shadows and become firmly entrenched in the public eye, a stable component of the sporting mosaic. And Ms. Gabriels, who currently owns a 15-1-1 record, is in the vanguard of those pushing the envelope. She’s very good at what she does, she’s photogenic, and she’s bi-lingual, as comfortable conversing in English as in her native Spanish.

As a schoolgirl in Costa Rica, Gabriels attracted notice for her prowess in track and field. At age seven, she was competing against girls four years older. At age 11, she competed in the novice division in the Central American games in El Salvador. Equally adept at running, jumping, and throwing, she had the makings of a world class pentathlete. But at age seventeen she was sidelined with a herniated disc that left her bedridden for six weeks – doctors questioned whether she would ever walk normally again – and that put an end to her budding career in track and field.

After graduating from high school, Gabriels spent a year in Oakland, California helping a friend manage a hair salon. While there she developed a fondness for doritos. “In Costa Rica,” she said, “my family was poor. We didn’t have money for snacks; only the basics.”

Hanna Gabriels A Torchbearer

With money to afford the luxury of junk food (and a hearty appetite born of homesickness), Gabriels predictably put on weight, ballooning to 206 pounds. But there was an upside to her sojourn. She became fluent in a second tongue — and for an athlete in a global sport, being bi-lingual can pay big dividends. Oscar De La Hoya transcended his sport, “building his brand” on both the English and Spanish talk show circuits. On the flip side, the career earnings of the great Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. were stunted by his failure to learn English.

Hanna Gabriels took up boxing at age 20 as part of a comprehensive program to lose weight. Four years later, she embraced boxing with a more serious purpose and had her first professional fight. Her father had boxed as an amateur, so there was boxing in the family genes.

At a gym in the provincial capital of San Jose, Gabriels honed her craft sparring with men; the alternative was no sparring whatsoever. The number of registered women boxers is increasing in leaps and bounds, but they are scattered around the globe and dispersed among the various weight classes. “What Hanna has accomplished,” says an admirer, “she has accomplished on her own. There are no great trainers in Costa Rica.”

On Jan. 9, 2011, Gabriels advanced her record to 11-0-1 with a 10th round knockout of Melisenda Perez at Punta del Este, Uruguay. Stablemate Bryan Vasquez, a future WBA World super featherweight champion, was also on that card. A nodding acquaintance between them blossomed into something more as they hunkered down to complete their training in Uruguay. They are now husband and wife.

Women athletes are subject to all the complications that disrupt the careers of their male counterparts, plus one. It’s called pregnancy. A 22-month period of ring inactivity that began in March of 2013 was punctuated by the birth of her daughter, Mia. The toddler may be the answer to a trivia question: name the only person whose parents – both of them – held world boxing titles.

Bryan Vasquez currently trains in Big Bear, California, under the watchful eye of the noted trainer Abel Sanchez. Hanna is with him in Big Bear, as is her mother, who watches the baby while Hanna does her roadwork. Sanchez and his associate Ben Lira will work Hanna’s corner in her next fight, the opponent, date, and venue as yet undetermined.

Gabriels hopes to someday land a rematch with Oxandia Castillo, the woman from the Dominican Republic who saddled her with her only defeat. The bout was stopped in the second round.

That match took place during one of the gloomiest periods of Hanna’s life. Her focus was clouded by the recent death of her dog, the faithful companion that nudged her into getting out of bed on those days when she was inclined to slough off in her training and would then tag along with her on her early morning runs. “Oxandia beat me fair and square,” concedes Gabriels, “but she isn’t better than me.”

Gabriels laughs when discussing her most recent fight, a lopsided 10-round decision over Rhode Island’s Kali Reis in Liberia, Guanacaste, Costa Rica. As the bout played out, the ring became smaller.

Well, not exactly. What happened is that rain started falling in sheets, soaking the crowd in the outdoor arena. Patches of the canvas became dangerously slick, forcing the referee to use his body language to maneuver Hanna and her opponent away from the affected areas. The province of Guanacaste was then experiencing a drought, making the incident more bizarre.

Hanna Gabriels A Torchbearer

The female boxers attracting the most buzz right now are Cecilia Braekhus and Claressa Shields. Raised by adoptive parents in Norway — where boxing is illegal – the undefeated (28-0), Columbia-born Braekhus recently broke with her German promoter and signed with Los Angeles-based K2 Promotions. Her stated goal is to win over North American boxing fans. Female boxers have a higher profile in Europe and other parts of the world than in the U.S., but American promoters have deeper pockets and can offer larger purses.

At the age of 17, Claressa Shields, a high school junior, was the star of the very first U.S. Olympic female boxing team. She won gold in London and hopes to repeat at the forthcoming summer games in Rio. She fights out of Flint, Michigan, where she was born and raised, which makes her story more compelling. The beleaguered citizens of hardscrabble Flint (if you go there, don’t drink the water) could use a positive role model to uplift their spirits.

A match between Gabriels and either of these ladies would be a big attraction, but the likelihood of either happening any time soon is remote. Cecilia Braekhus is a natural welterweight; Hanna is seemingly too big for her. Claressa Shields is in Hanna’s weight class, but it isn’t known if she will turn pro and, if she does, her management likely won’t rush her into a match against a strong opponent.

When her career is finished, Gabriels plans to work in some field of social work, ideally running a gym for people with handicaps and victims of domestic abuse. Despite her busy schedule she managed to earn a degree at Universidad Santa Paula in San Jose where she specialized in respiratory therapy. But she has more worlds to conquer before that day arrives.

Gabriels, who turned 33 in January, is younger than most of the top names in her sport. Female boxers that stay in shape tend to age more gracefully than the men, in large part because they go to war less often. Barring time off for another blessed event, Hanna Gabriels figures to win legions of new fans in the next few years.

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COMMENTS

-Bernie Campbell :

I like my toast light Brown Hanna.

-Radam G :

I like my toast light Brown Hanna.

What about your coffee -- cold with sleeping power or hot with hot sauce? Holla!

-stormcentre :

Came here to say . . . ""where's BC"".
But, I see I was late to the party and that there's no need.
Smart move to let her know how you like your toast Bernie.
Seen a lot of relationships breakdown because of that, and I wouldn't like to see it to happen to you.
But Bernie, you better let her know which way you like the lawn mowed too.
As - I know from personal experience - when you have friends over for beers, and as you all sit and relax in your chairs on the front verandah . . . it can be terribly trying for one to just commence festivities only to notice that the grass is striped . . .
When in fact chequered or neither is more pleasing to master's "expert" eye.
And whilst it's one great thing to have the portable fridge full, ready, and waiting on the verandah . . .
Which almost any lame dame can usually do . . . .
It's another all together if such perfunctory and menial preparation, and also the entire festive experience, is spoilt by a woman whom didn't take the time to request instructions from her master on how best to ensure the lawn's stripe pattern and intensification has been executed correctly; prior to commencing the lawn.
Like most folks . . . just as with burnt toast . . . . I have seen many a relationship take a turn for the worse due to these often underestimated and overly trivialised circumstances.
Never underestimate the importance of obedience and loyalty in a housewife.
Indeed, it therefore follows that women must learn how to stripe the lawn and bend that grass, not only farther - but also precisely to their master's likeing.
In fact not only that, but the high quality candidates should also differentiate themselves from the pack by how they seek approval as they do it.
Unless, of course, if they are advised otherwise.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, I find these lessons are sometimes best either taught or role-played in the bedroom.
For it's there that master's usually do their best dictation.
And, so too then . . . we see that . . . women of the house often also benefit educationally from this approach in ways that are not entirely difficult to quantify or finger.
Perhaps that's because, in there . . physical contact, depth, and even the concept of ritualistic bending often takes on a new meaning.
A meaning that, perhaps prevents;

Not only, a good housewife from destroying both, (i) a great drinking session on the verandah that her master has planned and (ii) the lawn.
But also, the same kinds of relationship breakdowns that the aforementioned burnt toast can often be found responsible for creating; meaning that such "educational lessons" may even possess the hidden benefit of reducing homelessness.

Plus, it's in there that she will also most likely learn that presentation in an aesthetically pleasing manner - for her master's enjoyment and judgement - is something that will allow her to climb the domestic ladder faster than most other functions she may have responsibility for.
So, as we can see the settings where these "educational lessons" are learnt are as important as the lessons themselves.
Some may think this discussion about prioritising the bedroom for the purposes of relationship sustainment and partnership education is all much ado about nothing.
Some may even think that this has nothing to do with master's planned festivities on the verandah.
But, of course that is not true and they could not be furtherer from the truth.
For instance . . . . .
Consider the complexities surrounding situations where the master of the house, not only appreciates brown toast and cold beer - but also likes his lawn neither striped or chequered.
These are real world dilemmas that a typical housewife must confront.
Especially if she is to please her master and make good on her dowry.
And, unfortunately, the chances of success are dismally low if she has not been tutored correctly and in a way that best suits her master's time constraints and interests.
Think about it for a second if you will.
Because . . . . other than the average female PubSlag of easy virtue that's attracted to a fat walleted, well hung, European car driving male susceptible to a transactional partnership and premeditated domestic abuse exit strategy once the funds dry up (and don't tell me there not out there either :) ); how else could any lawn mower, toaster, and bedroom operating housewife possibly keep abreast of all these prerequisites and fundamental requirements for happiness and partnership bliss with their master?
So you see, whilst some may have thought that the above discussion of physical contact, depth, and bedroom bending was much ado about nothing; in fact within the discussion itself there actually is tangible relevance to not only a successful partnership - but also that which underpins it.
Namely, the ability to be a good housewife, follow instructions, and never waver until Sir is satisfied; whether it's the toast, beer, bedroom, or the lawn.
As, these are undoubtedly the essential elements for any successful housewife to have an everlasting partnership with her misogynistic master.
So . . back to considering the master of the house whom likes his lawn neither striped or chequered.
Clearly such tasks/circumstances are not for those candidates with IQ's that are represented by numbers not exceeding room temperatures.
Such horticultural preferences - even when not combined with poor waiting service with respect to the beers and planned festivities - can ultimately, to her master, illustrate just how suitable a woman and mistress really may truly be.
As such the master of the house and aforementioned lawn preferences may find suitability in a woman whom is familiar with working in close proximity to a horse with a plough impaled deeply into fertile grounds; all as her master's seeds are sowed - over and over again.
As primitive as it may sound, there is good reason for this selection criteria.
Because in the case of a master whom likes his lawn neither striped or chequered . . . . a suitable housewife or mistress must master either;

A) Control of a lawnmower in a circular/spiralling motion that executes a decreasing radius set by her master, as she cuts the lawn; in order to avoid the unpleasing aesthetics of checkers and stripes.
B) Or (for the perfectionist master) she may even have to consider shutting down the mower at each individual straight-line's end - followed by then quietly reversing the machine back in line until it is adjacent with her previous starting position - before subsequently restarting, and then proceeding to mow another strip in a repetitive fashion like that; all as she constantly seeks approval and permission to think.

As you can see these skills are clearly a deal breaker.
Screw this up and she's back to scantily clad cabaret dancing on the vegas strip.
:)
So, at first she may struggle with the complexity of the task, and her master must be aware of this female limitation.
If the task is in close proximity to another - such as being responsible for serving the aforementioned drinks - the chance she will struggle is even greater.
Evidence of this struggle or discomfort may be visible in her inability to consistently push the mower in a straight line.
However, this does not mean she should be given a break from mowing though.
Alternatively, her limitations and above-mentioned discomfortability may actually manifest itself by her forgetfulness to re/turn at the end of each straight line.
Whilst this is commonly evidenced by her remaining in situ on the same spot of grass for a prolonged amount of time - like a battery operated toy depleted of charge; forgetfulness (with something as important as the lawn) should not be tolerated by any master of the house.
Particularly those with with distinction and prestige.
Where and how these female limitations, issues, and concerns can be addressed though, is both (educationally) in the bedroom, and also by master nominating his preference of what lingerie she may wear as she both, mows said lawn and gradually familiarises with the complexities of dual tasking and stripless lawn creation.
Provided she is not from the low, middle-class, and common gene pool . . . in time she will most likely not only appreciate the time her master takes to educate her, both on and off the lawn; but she will probably also come to appreciate that the best way to enhance her master's time on the verandah drinking with friends - whilst also controlling his appreciation of important matters such as the lawn - is by ensuring that the lawn mower not only makes physical contact with each single blade of the lawn, but that it also presses it firmly into the ground.
Naturally, as mentioned above, these lessons have their origins in the bedroom.
Where real men usually do their best and most physically pressing work.
Beyond ensuring that the mower makes physical contact with each blade as it presses it into the ground, with time she will undoubtedly also come to realise that whilst previous women may have simply glided across the tips of each grass-blade her master owns; and in addition to that mentioned above, she, herself has no such restriction.
As such, she has the freedom to control stripe intensity - the radius of her aforementioned circular and spiralling actions - and therefore also her master's satisfaction, by length - or perhaps better put - the depth of her cut.
Much ado about nothing?
You be the judge.
One thing I know for sure is . . . if she doesn't understand the importance of brown toast and breakfast in bed, chances are master is probably better off looking elsewhere to get ahead.
Storm.
:) :)

-Bernie Campbell :

I'm a traditionalist, I believe in women going to Eastrer service with a bonnet on.

-Radam G :

I'm a traditionalist, I believe in women going to Eastrer service with a bonnet on.

Hehehe! You are a male chauvinist dude, B-Camp. Don't lie! Holla!

-Kid Blast :

Stormcentre, close to a Hall of Fame post.

-dino da vinci :

Don't know much about this twisted stuff but I do know about odds, and sight unseen:
If fight happens before Dec. 31, 2016
H. Gabriels -10000
B. Campbell +4000
She would bat him goofy, and dare I say, (and I'm a darin') while he was screaming like a woman, right before she put him to sleep, (Hey, B there's a reference you might appreciate!) Hanna would say something along the line of "You were saying something about toast?" Now, and this is important, if you have anything less than a highly seasoned referee...actually, for the sake of this story, let's make it a woman referee, to 'spice it up a bit', and let's make it her first fight and let's make her last name, oh, I dunno, Gabriels (see what I did there?) and as we know, if the referee freezes, (or just wants to see a human sacrifice) Bernie could possibly die!
Ooohhh, story just took a turn against the Bernster
If fight happens before Dec. 31, 2016
Bernie Living (If you want to call it that) +120
Bernie Dying -140
Personally, I'm betting against Bernie because 1) I believe in karma, and 2) I see it as a value bet.
After crushing him, (Bern, thoughts?) She then makes her way to the locker room as so to shower (In order to wash off the blood curdling screams. Yeah, bet you didn't think that was necessary, did ya?) Hanna then rejoins with her family, baby Mia, and husband Bryan, who happens to also be world ranked. And after accounting for Latin machismo, and insults aimed at his wife, if it was instead this following matchup, the odds would look like this:
If fight happens before Dec. 31, 2016
Bryan "The Flyin' Lion" Vasquez -9999999999999999999999999999999999999
B. Campell. +40000000000000000000
Bernie Dying -55000000000000000000000000000000
Bernie Living +2000000000000000000
Or, because insulting her mom wasn't very clever:
If fight happens before Dec. 31, 2016
Mia Vasquez Gabriels +550
B. Campbell -1000
But if we can't find a state commission due to age requirements, or a sanctioning organization to green light this and it takes on a maturation process as long as Money Mayweather and the PacMan did:
If fight happens before Dec 31, 2029
Mia Vasquez Gabriels. -100000000
Bernie "4 Whom the Bell Tolls" Campbell. +400000

-Kid Blast :

Holy moley

-SuperLight :

I might just frame Dino's post. Holy moley indeed.

-stormcentre :

Don't know much about this twisted stuff but I do know about odds, and sight unseen:
If fight happens before Dec. 31, 2016
H. Gabriels -10000
B. Campbell +4000
She would bat him goofy, and dare I say, (and I'm a darin') while he was screaming like a woman, right before she put him to sleep, (Hey, B there's a reference you might appreciate!) Hanna would say something along the line of "You were saying something about toast?" Now, and this is important, if you have anything less than a highly seasoned referee...actually, for the sake of this story, let's make it a woman referee, to 'spice it up a bit', and let's make it her first fight and let's make her last name, oh, I dunno, Gabriels (see what I did there?) and as we know, if the referee freezes, (or just wants to see a human sacrifice) Bernie could possibly die!
Ooohhh, story just took a turn against the Bernster
If fight happens before Dec. 31, 2016
Bernie Living (If you want to call it that) +120
Bernie Dying -140
Personally, I'm betting against Bernie because 1) I believe in karma, and 2) I see it as a value bet.
After crushing him, (Bern, thoughts?) She then makes her way to the locker room as so to shower (In order to wash off the blood curdling screams. Yeah, bet you didn't think that was necessary, did ya?) Hanna then rejoins with her family, baby Mia, and husband Bryan, who happens to also be world ranked. And after accounting for Latin machismo, and insults aimed at his wife, if it was instead this following matchup, the odds would look like this:
If fight happens before Dec. 31, 2016
Bryan "The Flyin' Lion" Vasquez -9999999999999999999999999999999999999
B. Campell. +40000000000000000000
Bernie Dying -55000000000000000000000000000000
Bernie Living +2000000000000000000
Or, because insulting her mom wasn't very clever:
If fight happens before Dec. 31, 2016
Mia Vasquez Gabriels +550
B. Campbell -1000
But if we can't find a state commission due to age requirements, or a sanctioning organization to green light this and it takes on a maturation process as long as Money Mayweather and the PacMan did:
If fight happens before Dec 31, 2029
Mia Vasquez Gabriels. -100000000
Bernie "4 Whom the Bell Tolls" Campbell. +400000

Nice insight, and from a real expert too.
But Hanna and Dino are both from a similar area, and they're both involved in a similar sport.
So, whilst it's always innocent until proven otherwise, perhaps we need to consider how this has possibly influenced - or should I say "twisted" - those odds.
But, as my boy Storm says above . . . ""never underestimate the importance of obedience, loyalty, and of course . . . .""
The Bernster.
I'd like to see BC in the supporting crew of Trump's presidential campaign.
:) :) :)

-stormcentre :

Don't know much about this twisted stuff but I do know about odds, and sight unseen:
If fight happens before Dec. 31, 2016
H. Gabriels -10000
B. Campbell +4000
She would bat him goofy, and dare I say, (and I'm a darin') while he was screaming like a woman, right before she put him to sleep, (Hey, B there's a reference you might appreciate!) Hanna would say something along the line of "You were saying something about toast?" Now, and this is important, if you have anything less than a highly seasoned referee...actually, for the sake of this story, let's make it a woman referee, to 'spice it up a bit', and let's make it her first fight and let's make her last name, oh, I dunno, Gabriels (see what I did there?) and as we know, if the referee freezes, (or just wants to see a human sacrifice) Bernie could possibly die!
Ooohhh, story just took a turn against the Bernster
If fight happens before Dec. 31, 2016
Bernie Living (If you want to call it that) +120
Bernie Dying -140
Personally, I'm betting against Bernie because 1) I believe in karma, and 2) I see it as a value bet.
After crushing him, (Bern, thoughts?) She then makes her way to the locker room as so to shower (In order to wash off the blood curdling screams. Yeah, bet you didn't think that was necessary, did ya?) Hanna then rejoins with her family, baby Mia, and husband Bryan, who happens to also be world ranked. And after accounting for Latin machismo, and insults aimed at his wife, if it was instead this following matchup, the odds would look like this:
If fight happens before Dec. 31, 2016
Bryan "The Flyin' Lion" Vasquez -9999999999999999999999999999999999999
B. Campell. +40000000000000000000
Bernie Dying -55000000000000000000000000000000
Bernie Living +2000000000000000000
Or, because insulting her mom wasn't very clever:
If fight happens before Dec. 31, 2016
Mia Vasquez Gabriels +550
B. Campbell -1000
But if we can't find a state commission due to age requirements, or a sanctioning organization to green light this and it takes on a maturation process as long as Money Mayweather and the PacMan did:
If fight happens before Dec 31, 2029
Mia Vasquez Gabriels. -100000000
Bernie "4 Whom the Bell Tolls" Campbell. +400000

Nice insight, and from a real expert too.
:)
But Hanna and Dino are both from a similar area, and they're both involved in a similar sport.
Coincidence?
So, whilst it's always innocent until proven otherwise, perhaps we need to consider how this has possibly influenced - or should I say "twisted" - those odds.
But, as my boy Storm says above . . . ""never underestimate the importance of obedience, loyalty, and of course . . . .""
The Bernster.
I'd like to see BC in the supporting crew of Trump's presidential campaign.
:) :) :)

-Bernie Campbell :

Nevermind the BS with these odds and what not! If she vows to renounce her masculine tendencies, and takes a repromming course in How to be a lady! I would volunteer to be her white night in shining armour! As far as the rest of you friscoes, get a jar of Vaseline will you! Ill make the odds after purchase this time!